Have you asked for help today? This week?

I was at an event for Entrepreneurial Moms earlier this week.  It was me, getting out of my comfort zone and trying to network.  Sigh.  Talking to strangers.  Not my strength.  But I did it.

The speaker was Paula Pyne of Uplift! Consulting (http://upliftconsulting.com/) and she was great.  My take away from her talk and the group's contributions - which won me a 30 minute consultation with Uplift! Consulting - was the need to ask for help.  A common theme for me and my life is the need, or maybe it is just a perceived need, to do it all myself.  Sometimes it is based on the perception that no one can do it as well as me, or it would take too long to show someone how to do something, or that I don't really trust others.  Lots of issues for me to address in there, that's for certain.  However, what I have noticed over the past little while, as I try to get my business up and running, is that if you ask, people generally will help.  That's right.  Ask and you will receive.  It's biblical and true.  Some examples:

Need to have a poster reviewed because it doesn't look quite right and you can't articulate everything that makes it unappealing to the eye?  Ask your good friend who is a Marketing guru.  It only took her a few minutes to point out what bugged me and would have taken a lot longer to figure out.  Thank you.  I am truly grateful for your help.

Need a mentor to help get through the first few months of start-up craziness?  Did you know that your neighbour/friend has a sister-in-law who owns two successful franchises in a different line of business and is more than willing to share her wisdom?  She had someone help her in the early days, too, and wants to give someone the same hand up that she received.  Phew!  I'm glad I caught the bus downtown that day and we got into conversation.  I am looking forward to our coffee/tea/beverage of choice and the rich conversation we will have.

Sometimes help is offered and you just have to accept it!  For example, my small business banker is responsible for scheduling the small business showcase area at two branches of TD Bank.  I am now set up to have a display and a ballot box where I will be giving away three hours of professional cleaning for clients at one branch in March and another in July.  I didn't rest on that, though.  I know someone who works for TD Bank and I have asked her if she has a showcase table and who I should talk to about booking it.

If you want to gain momentum, ask for help.  People want to help.  It makes them feel good, too.

Purveyors of Happiness

That's what it says on the box of Butlers chocolates that our house guest gave me:  


Butlers
PURVEYORS OF HAPPINESS


From freedictionary.com:  
Purveyor:  a person or thing that habitually provides or supplies a particular thing or quality
Happiness:  state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy


Can you imagine having that as your mission in life?  Can you imagine if we all had the goal of providing others with happiness on a regular basis?

Getting Focus

Here's an excerpt from an article by Kim DeYoung called "Smart Start-up Tips: How to Get Out of Entrepreneurial Overwhelm and Get More Done" that I wanted to be able to find later... you know... when things are so crazy I don't know which way is up.


So how do you figure out WHICH project will create the best results?

When I think of “getting it done,” it’s not just getting done the junky, to-do list kind of stuff. We all have piles of stuff to do. Here are some questions that will help you determine whether a particular project should be a priority for you this year.

Ask yourself…

• Will this project generate momentum in my business? (Choose a project that will open up the bottleneck and give your business a real jumpstart. For example, do you need to focus on generating income, list-building, gaining credibility as an expert, etc.?)

• Does this project mesh with the vision I have for my business? (Think about the big picture of what you want to accomplish over the next year. Where do you want your business to be and will this project help you get there faster?)

• Will this project make a meaningful difference for me and for those I serve? (Don’t be distracted by the bright shiny object – something that sounds fun or that everyone else is doing, but won’t really benefit YOUR business.)

• Is this project fun and purpose-filled? (It needs to be something you believe in and you’re excited about or you’ll lose steam before you get it done.)

• Is this project big enough? (Choose something that scares you a little bit, and gets you out of your comfort zone.)

When you’ve got a clear vision on the project that will really make a difference you’ll find that you’re more focused and more committed. As a result, you serve a lot more people, increase your income and get out there in a bigger way. That is what I experienced – all good things.